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The Josh Hoopes Of Cosplay – Jim Logan/David Eugene Winant Jr/Snikt Shop/Logan Props/I Am Your Heroes/Dave Produx/Outlaw Produx

All ex-Marvel intern Marlene of  i like comics too wanted was a Ghost Rider helmet, as designed by Tradd Moore, for cosplay at New York Comic Con.

So she approached Logan Props, sorted a design and commissioned one for $500.

It didn't exactly work out.

NYCC came and went, I'm out $500 and I had no helmet for my costume after a ridiculous five month wait. The PayPal/bank claim window has also closed, which I'm sure he's well aware of, so I can't dispute the charge. The best part, though? "Jim" continues to actively post on Instagram, the Logan Props Facebook page, the I Am Your Heroes Facebook page and his personal profile. (Edit: After I published this piece, all his public Facebook accounts have gone dark and he's set his Instagram to private.) He doesn't have time to complete his commissions or answer his customers, but he does apparently have time to make last minute props for his personal friends, make new non-commissioned props to sell on his Etsy, attend events, photoshoots, complain about how behind he is on work and e-mails, complain about how he needs a secretary and note that he's definitely aware of the upcoming deadlines, which he doesn't meet anyway!

Not only did did she get no helmet, and no refund, but she found she was not alone. N0t only examples that she posted (as well as a conviction of theft as David Eugene Winant Jr)

David-Eugene-Winant-Jr-mugshot-2822968.400x800Screen-Shot-2014-10-01-at-8.13.55-PM

She continues,

The first is a warning from deviantArt:

Customer 1Customer 2

There are even more bad reviews from that thread:

OneTwo

Three

Even big names in the community aren't safe. Meg Turney is a well known personality and host at Rooster Teeth:

An entire post on Tumblr from a costumer named Phillip who was stiffed on several items.

Someone else owed pieces for a Scarlet Witch costume.

Commenter Olivia has been waiting for her props for three years.

Identity Shift has been waiting for his Red Hood helmet for fifteen months and has only received snarky replies from "Jim." Meanwhile, "Jim" is actually making new Red Hood helmets… but only to sell in his online shop, rather than for a customer who paid for it in advance over a year ago.

Screen Shot 2014-10-03 at 6.52.26 PM

He's repeatedly appeared on the Replica Prop Blacklist group.

There exists an entire forum thread of more than 45 pages dedicated to his practices, full of a ton of customer complaints.

Even 4Chan warns against this guy!

But then on her own comments thread, more piled on.

identity shift: I paid jim the $500 and was given a 8 week eta…  I was new to the whole paypal thing and didn't realize there was only a 45 day limit to disputes so I gave him time to finish other deadlines since I really didn't have one because every time I checked in it was after dragon con or after comikozi ect. So finally toward october I got on him for neglecting my commision and working on personal projects and that I wanted something by the 20th for a con he promised he could have the red hood helmet done quickly since he made the bat in the sun armor in a week and because he wasn't able to do the suit because his seamstress quit. Fast forward to march. I recieved no merch and saw little to no progress. So I did something crazy and offered him a compromise that benefitted him. I said forget the suit how bout just the armor pieces and the helmet. I'm still waiting. ….. the red hood helmet he was working on has since disapeared but strangely the red hood helmey he sells looks much like the gcfx (gotham city fx) helmet his buddy terry was recasting. Also he's been sending out red hood helmets but not to the person who comissioned it. Instead I get to see him post on instagram all the restraunts he eats at or all the places he travels on my dime.

Mandy: I have lived with him before, and also done business.. I have had a HORRIBLE experience with him on multiple occasions and if anyone wants to know my story I would be more than happy to share it.

Wolfram Creative: The Red Hook mask is a reworked recast from a GCFX Hero/ Villain mask. I'm the designer, sculptor, and moldmaker for the original piece. I recognize my work when I see it. It's a same people are so bold they have to steal someone else's work.

ashley: Wow, you have no idea how close I was to contacting this guy for a commission. Thank goodness I had a small, unexpected expense come up n put it off for a couple weeks to get the money back. A cosplayer friend shared this with me. Thank you so much!!!

Forrest: To my dismay I recommended him to a friend and he cheated my friend out of 700$. I frequent Florida cons and when he comes around he knows to stay out of my neighborhood. I am glad someone stood up and said something.

Victoria: sadly, my friend and I ordered from him as well, but we're international purchases and we're not sure what we can do to get our money back at this point =/

Scammed: November 2011 – he posts that he has a prop for sale, ready to ship. I jump on it and pay the $200 for the piece, which is already finished and just needs to be shipped.

October 2012 – almost a full year later, after multiple contacts, I receive it. And it is obviously not the same prop he posted pictures of the year prior. It also is poorly pieced together, a Gambit staff that bends to one side, doesn't light up very well, and doesn't look worth the money I paid.

NYCC 2012 – standing in a crowd, I find myself beside another Gambit… Whose staff I recognize immediately. It was the actual staff I was supposed to be sold. Shoddy and shitty. The kid also received light up cards that were posted by Jim as being broken, but he decided not to remake them and send the busted prop to the guy anyway.

Another friend ordered a large prop from him that needed fixing after he actually received it. Jim took it back to repair and my friend hasn't seen it since.

Another friend has waited over 3 years for props that he hasn't seen.

Bronson: Over two years ago, he took payment of $150 from me to complete some shin armor I wanted.
After repeated attempts to get either the armor or the money back, I've still got neither.

Anthony: I remember back from 2011-12 I used to follow his page religiously because he posted cool stuff and I always dreamed of getting a job and doing commissions from him. Strange enough, I had cosplay friends all over who told me he was a hack but I didn't listen. December of 2012 happened and he offered 10 bucks for Deadpool belt buckles. Of course, I jumped on that and after 3-4 months I got it. Funny enough, he didn't make my buckle when I ordered it, he already had them made so I have no idea why it took him so long. Also the belt buckles didn't even come with a back to buckle it onto my belt and when I asked him why he never told me I just got some run-around and yadda yadda.

Mike T:He did the same thing to me for over $500.00 and stretched it past paypals 45 day policy. Best thing to do if someone else is in this situation is to file a claim with your bank. I was able to get my money back that way.

M: Yep. I had ordered an item some years ago… light up psychic knives for a Psylocke costume. It took him forever to deliver, and even when he did they were NOT as pictured. He said he liked this "new" design better. It was cut out pieces of plastic shittily glued together. I never used them because they look terrible AND fell apart shortly after I unboxed them. Boo!.

Drew – He owes me about a grand from an order I placed over two years ago

Leslie – same story… had faith in him even though I heard whisperings of his shittiness. All was going well until he missed the NYCC deadline. OK, let's try for Halloween… no? how bout you just let me know whats going on… cant even do that? How about a refund. then he disappeared. His etsy shop is gone (of course) and now I am also spreading the word in hopes that he cant show his smug face around without everyone knowing what a prickasaurus rex he is.

I was very patient & understanding and never got angry. until now.

Dave – This guy is a joke. I commissioned him to do a small webbing for my spiderman suit. Claimed he could do it, I sent him $250usd and the minute it cleared he vanishes. Gives me the prop builders curse of "sorry, I've been sick and in the hospital for over a month" As soon as I filed my paypal dispute with this guy, he MAGICALLY got cured and responded to me asap. He wanted me to remove it and he would ship it within 3 days. I ignored him and he starts flaming me, cussing at me and what not. I didn't think he liked being shut out….(serves him right) I got my refund, and never dealt with this character again. I even had a stint with another prop maker that goes by "4th wall design" stay clear away from them as well.

So, yes. Might want to keep an eye on this one…


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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